


Duet

by yuletide_archivist



Category: Nana
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2008-12-19
Updated: 2008-12-19
Packaged: 2018-01-25 07:13:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,394
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1638368
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yuletide_archivist/pseuds/yuletide_archivist
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Hachi drags Nana to karaoke.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Duet

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to Vickie for her speedy and detailed beta!
> 
> Written for Harukami

 

 

"Let's go karaoke!" Hachi declared, all cheer. 

It was the afternoon after Nana and Nobu had played for Hachi till the early hours (and later had been rebuked by the neighbors). Mostly, Nana wanted to lay in bed and sleep off the aftereffects. Hachi, though, was brighter than ever, like a flower opening up to the sun.

It was way too damn early for that much excitement. And, yes, two in the afternoon was early. Nana tried to stare down Hachi and her enthusiasm, and when that failed to work, she added: "Why would we do a stupid thing like that?"

"Stupid?" Hachi's voice quavered. "It's singing! How can you call singing stupid?"

"Because," Nana ran a hand through her hair. "It's... fake singing. Either you do it on your own, or you do it with back-up. Singing with the words cut out and the lyrics on the screen is cheating."

Hachi covered her mouth, her eyes shimmering with tell-tale crocodile tears. "But... hearing you sing last night really inspired me!"

"Don't you mean you felt like tagging on to my glory?" Nana smirked and continued to do so as Hachi wailed, clinging to her arm. "Alright, alright, if you want it that much, we'll go karaoke. I'll show you a thing or two about singing!"

The thing was, Hachi really did look like a puppy jumping about with uncontainable happiness.

Though there was a Do-Re-Mi Karaoke near their apartment, Hachi insisted, in her heels-digging-into-ground way, that they take the train to reach a specific outlet in Ikebukuro. "What's the difference, aside from the décor? They all have the same music selection. Do they have really good food there or something?" Nana asked. But Hachi would not be budged by reason or by teasing: it had to be the Ikebukuro Big Echo Karaoke. 

Their room had wall-to-wall plastic-covered leather cushions ("Makes you wonder what kind of messes they clean up," Nana said with disgust), a bright geometric scheme of reds and pinks and blues ("Cute, isn't it?" Hachi beamed), and, of course, a monolith screen and karaoke player. Thoroughly thumbed volumes lay scattered on the table, together with plastic-covered (it seemed to be a theme) menus promising quick delivery and delicious food. "Look at these prices," Nana scoffed. "Who'd pay 600 yen for a Sapporo--"

Hachi did not seem to hear Nana's muttering, for she'd already picked up the room's phone. "Hello! We'd like four beers, to start, and a plate of gyouza--"

Nana snatched the phone from Hachi, whose eyes once more wavered with tears. "What are you thinking!" Nana scolded. "How can you waste money after all the furniture you bought! If you wanted beer, we should've snuck some in!"

Hachi wrestled Nana to keep her away from the phone. Nana was forced to admit wryly that Hachi was stronger than she looked, especially when something she wanted was at stake. Hachi successfully kept the receiver at waist level, too far for Nana to shout `Forget it!' into.

"But it's no fun if we bring food in!" Hachi explained, her voice going high-pitched. "Since I can't afford 5-star luxury hotels and suites and room service, I can at least get beer and gyouza in karaoke!"

Nana sighed, if only to maintain her cool attitude. (It wouldn't do to show she couldn't stop herself from letting Hachi have what she wanted.) She let Hachi take control of the phone. "Make it six beers," Nana said.

"Yay!" Hachi celebrated and completed the order.

So it really had been about the food, Nana thought. 

The future happiness of her stomach guaranteed, Hachi hopped onto the couch, grabbed one of the tomes, opened it to the final third, and flipped from there. Nana lit up a cigarette and watched, fondness washing over her. Hachi had no idea how cute she was. "Lessee, lessee, I hope they have it-- ahah!" With the same speed that she fingered messages on her cell phone, Hachi pressed the number for her song. "There!"

Curious as to what Hachi'd want to sing, though half-betting it'd be something by Trapnest, Nana waited for the screen to flash the upcoming song. "Holidays in the Sun: Sex Pistols" read over background images of a hectic urban night life. Nana whistled. "Not bad, Hachiko! You been raiding my music collection while I wasn't looking?"

Hachi blushed. "N, not really. I just know you really like the Sex Pistols!"

The music started to play. "Have you ever even _heard_ this song before?" Nana demanded.

"Nope!" Hachi jumped up to her feet, grabbed a microphone from the table, and handed it over to Nana, all smiles. "But I will now! Go on! I wanna hear you sing it!"

`A cheap holiday in other peoples misery!' flashed on the screen, but no one sang to it. "Don't pick songs for me without asking!"

"Please?" was all Hachi said, still holding out the microphone, arms extended. It reminded Nana of the way Misato held up roses in concerts, like an offering in order to receive what _they_ wanted: music. It touched Nana. She dreamed of inspiring others with her singing, but somehow, it was her audience that inspired her. 

"All right," she said flippantly, and launched herself onto the couch. Nana had to be above everyone else when performing. She had to be the Queen surveying her kingdom (even if it consisted of one). "Here is Nana, ready to rock you out!" Hachi clapped and cheered and waved her arms. "`Now I got a reason, now I got a reason now--'"

Nana sang with all her being, as hard as she would if she were in the Tokyo Dome over choked with screaming, adoring fans. Somehow, she doubted those thousands could get her as revved up as good old Hachikou, dancing in her uncoordinated but beautifully spontaneous way. 

When the last of the song thrummed out, Hachi clapped again, her whole body shaking the way half a dog's body moves wagging its tail. Nana swept over in a bow and nearly fell over when Hachi suddenly shrieked. "What is it?!" Nana asked, alarmed. 

"I forgot to play!" Hachi wailed. "Go on, Nana, pick another song! I won't forget this time."

"What--" 

Hachi dropped to her knees in front of the multimedia set and rummaged in a bottom drawer. "I called in advance; they promised all the rooms had-- ahah!" Victorious, she pulled out and held over head a white tambourine. "Tadaaa!"

"The tambourine?" Nana asked. Hachi nodded and sprang to her feet. "That's why it had to be here? Because of the tambourine?"

"Yup!" She tapped out a quick rhythm, chimes filling the room. "All the karaoke places back home had tambourines, but I guess it's not as common in Tokyo, since I had to call a dozen places before I found one with them!" Hachi hit harder; she actually wasn't all that bad. "Go on, pick another song, I'll accompany you."

Nana imagined Hachi glued to her phone, calling number after number: `Do you have instruments--? No? Thank you.' Nana hid a smile, though she couldn't keep it from tugging at the side of her mouth. "We'll have a special performance tonight, then! Nana singing and Hachikou on tambourine!" 

"Yeah!" Hachi threw her hands up in the air, dancing once more. 

They went through punk classics ( _I Wanna Be Sedated_ , _Go Girl Crazy_ , _Lust for Life_ ), Nana belting out the words and Hachi, temporarily elevated from mascot to band member, standing with her on the couch as she hit the tambourine. Hachi danced as she played, her short hair swinging to and fro. Her enthusiasm was as contagious as ever, making Nana sing harder, more passionately.

Nana couldn't help but notice the way strands of hair stuck to the sweat on Hachi's forehead, the nape of her neck.

Hachi wasn't actually half-bad. 

Nana considered, for a split-second, a Hachi The Blast Mascot special album release; she then had to explain why she'd burst out laughing in the middle of the Sex Pistol's _Submission_. Hachi made a face, but Nana could tell she was only pretending to be affronted; she seemed pleased enough, her reddened face blushing harder. Nana bet she even went so far as to imagine the cover. 

The food arrived then ("They did this on purpose! We're almost done with our hour, they're trying to make us stay for another!" Nana complained. Hachi replied: "I was thinking of staying all night?"), and they took a short break. Singing had already put Nana in a good mood, but food and booze only made it better. 

Hachi was gulping down a beer (her occasional vulgar mannerisms only made her cuter) when Nana realized: "You haven't sung once tonight."

"Oh yeah! But that's okay, I wanted to hear you sing."

"Nu-uh!" Nana declared, banging the table. The plates rattled, and Hachi half jumped. "I won't sing one more note until you do a song!"

Hachi's face broke out in a fresh round of crimson. "But, but I'd be embarrassed! I don't know how to sing!"

Nana leaned in towards her, close enough to feel the flush from Hachi's face. Hachi stared at her, mouth agape, probably scared that she'd close in for another (joke) kiss. "Just sing from the heart. That's all that matters."

Hachi's face softened, and she nodded once. She looked unsettled a second later though, when she had to wriggle to get out from the couch behind her and Nana in front (Nana purposefully didn't move, just to watch Hachi inch like a worm.) After escaping from the danger of a kiss, Hachi flipped through the book of Japanese songs. "Sometimes," she said, "you say the coolest things, Nana! You make my heart beat faster!"

"Save it for your boyfriend." Nana smoked an entire cigarette in the time it took for Hachi to pick a song. Hachi got to her feet (on the floor this time, not the couch), microphone clasped tightly to her chest, and glanced back at Nana, like she needed affirmation. Nana tilted her head, and that seemed to be encouragement enough because Hachi took a deep breath and started. 

"Koi wo shite owari wo tsuge; chikau koto wa kore ga saigo no Heartbreak--"

If Hachi had been good with the tambourine, she was dismal with singing. Her breathing was all wrong, and she was too tense, tight like a toy wound up to its limit. The sense of rhythm she'd shown earlier with the tambourine was off, going too slow in some places and speeding up elsewhere to make up for it. At least she was hitting the right notes, which meant she wasn't tone-deaf. She could be helped.

Finished, Hachi turned to Nana. "Whaddya think?" she asked, clearly longing for a treat. Her face became crestfallen when Nana said nothing, simply stubbing into the round, crystal ashtray the cigarette she'd been smoking. "I knew I shouldn't have sung in front of you!"

"Calm down." Nana stood up and pressed a hand over Hachi's stomach. "Say something from here."

"Nana--" she started.

"From here, I said!" Nana pressed harder.

Hachi looked bewildered, but she took another deep breath. "Nana, what're you doing?"

"That's better! Nana patted Hachi's stomach before removing her hand. "I know I said that all that matters is to sing from the heart, but there's a bit more, too."

"I'm not like you, I never had formal training--"

"Neither did I? I just learned as I went along. Here's another trick: forget the original singer. Form the melody in your head, and go by that, okay? We don't want to hear Hikki, we want to hear _you_ , your version. Got that?"

Flustered, Hachi said, "Let's just go back to your singing--"

"Nope! I wanna hear you again." Nana winked at her. "Pick another song."

Hachi picked Namie Amuro's _Can You Celebrate_. (Nana would have to improve her musical taste some other day; one thing at a time.) Hachi started out with the same mistakes from before and Nana put her hand over her stomach again. "Remember, from here! And breathe!"

Hachi stumbled on the next lyric, but she picked up on Nana's clue and sang better. "Imagine you're singing in a concert hall," Nana told her. "You have to reach the people all the way in the back."

Face set with determination, Hachi sang harder, better. Nana would've reminded her of the next thing, to stick to the melody in her head, but the right breathing seemed to have put that in order. Her rhythm was right this time, too.

Nana then let herself enjoy the performance. Hachi had a sweet voice. Nothing to conquer the airwaves, or to capture Japan's heart, but Nana's own heart This time, it was her turn to clap and cheer at the end of the song. Hachi's grin was wide, and she didn't have to be told to pick another song; she chose Smap's _Kimi wo Iro Omoi_. (One more reason to have to reeducate her musical tastes later.)

Hachi nearly burst into tears when Nana picked up the tambourine and accompanied _her_. It made her singing warble, almost crying, but she got past it, and by the end, she was living up having her own audience. 

Nana preferred having other people play for _her_ , but with Hachi, it was kinda fun.

Afterwards, Hachi fell onto the couch, her legs stuck out straight before her. "Ooof! I forgot how much energy doing karaoke takes! I don't know how you manage entire concerts, Nana!"

Nana sat down too, getting a beer from off the table and letting Hachi grab it. She'd done a smattering of the singing, so she needed the drink. "On the contrary, concerts revive me. It's the audience's energy that feeds me."

"You're a vampire?!" Hachi exclaimed. 

"Don't put it that way! It's meant to be a positive image!"

Hachi laughed, her teeth glowing slightly red thanks to the room's lights. "Now I see why you dream of being a singer! It's the ego-trip!" But before Nana could flip out another defensive remark, Hachi smiled at her. "Won't it be great when we can sing Blast songs at karaoke?"

Not `if.' `When.' 

Nana bent her head. "Yeah."

They did pass the rest of the night in the karaoke bar, sometimes taking turns singing and playing the tambourine, other times performing duets. 

 


End file.
